Home at Last
by Orrymain
Summary: It's Daniel's birthday surprise!


Home at Last  
  
Author: Orrymain  
  
Author Email: marciastudley@comcast.net (Feedback welcome)  
  
Category: Slash, Drama, Romance, Established Relationship  
  
Pairing: Jack/Daniel .... and it's all J/D   
  
Rating: PG-13   
  
Season: 7 - Summer 2003 (July 8 - September 8)  
  
Spoilers: None  
  
Size: 35kb; short story  
  
Written: August 5-7, 12, 2003  
  
Archive: Area52, Comfort Zone, FanFiction.Net, Cartouche, AlphaGate, TheBoy   
  
Disclaimer: Usual disclaimers -- not mine, wish they were, especially Daniel, and Jack, too, but they aren't. This was a whim; all in fun. I don't have anything to do with them legally!  
  
Summary: It's Daniel's birthday surprise!   
  
Notes: This was inspired by and follows my fan fic "Never a False Step" but it is not part of the They Don't Understand series.  
  
Home at Last  
  
by Orrymain  
  
==== July 8, 2003:  
  
Dearest Daniel,  
  
This sucks that today of all days I have to be incommunicado; I can't even sneak out a call, Danny, and I'm miserable because of it. Actually, I'm miserable because I'm "here", wherever that is, and you're home having to celebrate your birthday without me. But I'll be home soon, Love, and when I get there, be ready. Sleep now while you can, because I have big plans for you.   
  
Oh, and Danny, I have the best surprise birthday present for you. You'll never guess, so don't even try, but just wait and see, you'll fall in love all over again.  
  
Always and Forever,   
  
J  
  
Daniel sat on the couch reading, for about the 20th time, the note that Jack had left on his pillow, a long red rose and a balloon that said "Happy Birthday" attached to it. Jack had left their home at 4 a.m., waking Daniel briefly for a lingering kiss goodbye, and when Daniel next awoke, he was alone with only the remembrances to keep him warm.   
  
Daniel spent his birthday alone and in silence. He and Jack would have been doing something; he just didn't know what. For Daniel, the only certain aspect of the day was that he was on vacation.  
  
"Birthdays are special, like a holiday, Daniel. We are not working on your birthday," Jack had insisted, and they hadn't, ever, always taking vacation days if they didn't normally have the day off.  
  
When the call came ordering Jack to "wherever", he had made Daniel promise not to go to the SGC or have work sent home, ordering him to "kick back and relax, eat, drink and be merry."   
  
So, Daniel stayed home and sulked, feeling sad, not merry. He sipped a drink of the red wine Jack had gifted him with last month. It was a 1959 Chateau Beychevelle from St. Julien, a full bodied wine that was one of Daniel's favorites.   
  
"To 1965, the year of my birth, a ... a very good year," Daniel sarcastically toasted aloud, taking another drink and then placing his wine glass on the coffee table.   
  
Daniel leaned back, laying his head on the sofa, silently cursing the Air Force and whatever secret mission had taken his lover away from him on this of all days.   
  
"Another birthday alone," he said aloud.   
  
Actually, since meeting Jack, Daniel's birthdays had been full of good things. Daniel never knew what to expect. His Jack had surprised him with everything from a full day of pampering that included breakfast in bed and a professional full body massage to a surprise party at O'Malleys.  
  
Then there were the trips to Cairo, a romantic and emotional excursion that included a cruise down the Nile, and to Hershey, Pennsylvania, a trip Jack had insisted was part of Daniel's destiny.   
  
"If ever a man should visit Hershey," Jack had explained as they walked inside the plant's doors, "it's you, Danny, even if I did have to agree to give General Clark's granddaughter a private tour of Denver to arrange it; what I do for love."   
  
Jack had arranged for a private tour of the chocolate factory, since public tours had been discontinued.  
  
And there were gifts, too, lots and lots of presents. Jack treated Daniel's birthday like Christmas, lavishing his lover with items ranging from dirty artifact gag gifts to serious items such as a deluxe aquarium for Daniel's fish.   
  
The archaeologist's favorite birthday present, though, was the year Jack took him to Disneyland.   
  
"What a time we had," Daniel thought silently as he recalled their trip.   
  
The two had just entered the theme park when Jack immediately steered Daniel over to the concession stand. Daniel's first instinct was to turn and run, but Jack had a hold of his elbow.  
  
"Jack, I'm not wearing those ears."   
  
"Yes, you are Danny," Jack spoke with a giant grin as he put on his own ear cap. "We're in Mickey's Park, and you have to be polite."   
  
Daniel grunted, looked around at the bedlam of sleeping babies, anticipating kids, dating teenagers, and tired parents and, putting on his black mouse ears, demanded, "Tell me why we're here again, Jack."   
  
"Disneyland is a tradition, Daniel. It's America's playground, and everyone should go at least once in their life."  
  
"Couldn't we have gone to Disney World? They have the Epcot Center, cultural ..."  
  
"... and that's exactly why we're here and not in Florida, Daniel. This is a vacation, to celebrate you're birth, not a learning expedition. We're going to have fun, ride the rides, eat popcorn, meet Donald Duck."  
  
Daniel was positive his lover had lost his mind, except that over the next four days, Daniel had more fun than he ever could have imagined. He left the Doctor of Archaeology and Anthropology at the door, and once he put on his Mickey Mouse ears, little boy Danny came out to play, thanks to his soul mate, his Jack.  
  
Jack made sure Daniel's inner child stayed out to play, laughing and being as silly as Jack could get him. By the time they met up with Goofy, they were both feeling pretty ridiculous.   
  
Daniel didn't even want to think about that meeting now, feeling positive that they must have been taken over by Urgo again! If anyone ever got a hold of the photo of the three of them together, Daniel was sure he'd be laughed out of the SGC. He had wanted to burn it; Jack wanted to frame it.   
  
They compromised and locked it in their special keepsake box, a place where private souvenirs from their travels together as Jack and Daniel were safely kept, things the rest of the world couldn't see because they were hiding in plain sight in Colorado Springs.  
  
They visited all the different towns in the Magic Kingdom. They raced on the Autopia in Tomorrowland, sang along with the Country Bear Jamboree in Critter Country, went on the Jungle Cruise and climbed Tarzan's Treehouse in Adventureland.   
  
"Me, Tarzan. You Jane." Jack had mocked as they climbed the house.  
  
"Not in your wackiest dreams, Jack."  
  
'Okay, Me, Tarzan, You Cheetah."  
  
When they reached the top of the tree, overlooking the theme park, Jack seized a moment when no one else was looking, and pulled his lover close to him. "Me Silly Airforce Colonel head over heels in love with you, Space Monkey."   
  
"That's one way to stay out of the monkey house, O'Neill," Daniel smiled. They wanted to kiss, but they heard some boys about to enter the tree house so pulled away, but their eyes never stopped speaking.   
  
Cerulean blue eyes said "I love you" as chocolate brown eyes responded in kind, adding "Forever, Danny."  
  
No part of "the happiest place on Earth" escaped the pair. They listened to barbershop quartets, ate cotton candy until they were sick, and explored the Main Street shops, buying gifts for Sam, Teal'c, Hammond, Siler and other friends back at the SGC.   
  
They rode Thunder Mountain Railroad, got drenched on Splash Mountain, survived the Matterhorn and Space Mountain, and cajoled their way through the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted House.   
  
They even went to Mickey's Toon Town and Fantasyland where they rode on Dumbo's Flying Elephant Ride. Daniel laughed as he remembered.  
  
"Jack, there is no way we're going on these kiddie rides. We're grown men. What will people think?"   
  
"That we are two guys who know how to have fun, and we like Dumbo. You do like Dumbo, don'tcha?"  
  
Daniel looked down and off towards a popcorn cart, his arms folding in his classic self-hug pose. Jack had a sad feeling he knew what this meant.  
  
"Danny?"  
  
"I ... I don't know," he answered softly, still not looking at Jack.  
  
"Ah, you will. We'll make a list of movies we need to rent to complete your Disney education! Now scoot and let's get a place in line before those toddlers from the school tour beat us to it."  
  
It had been a wondrous birthday celebration, and it was the first time in Daniel's life he had let himself be a kid in public. It took a while, but having a partner who was still a kid at heart, made it easier for Daniel to let go and allow his inner child to be reborn. No one knew them; they could just relax and play, and that's what they did.   
  
And when they got back to the Springs, Jack rented a stack of Disney movies from Fantasia to Alice in Wonderland, 101 Dalmatians to Lady and the Tramp, Bambi to Pete's Dragon, and yes, Dumbo, too. Daniel was now fluent in animated Disney!   
  
As they finished watching Dumbo together for the first time, Daniel asked his lover, "How is it you always seem to know what I need when I haven't a clue? I mean, Disneyland, Jack ... Dumbo? I've never even thought about going there, at least not since ..."  
  
Jack placed a kiss on Daniel's nose, interrupting the young man, not wanting him to go to that orphaned boy place he sometimes lived in, and answered, "The same way you knew I needed that $1700 chair in the study; the same way you knew I needed to talk when I thought Teal'c was dead during that Jaffa revenge thing; and the same way, Danny, you know when to do this ...," Jack entwined his fingers with Daniel's, "... and this ...," Jack kissed his lover soundly on the mouth, licking his luscious lips and adding a little nibble, "... or this ...," Jack pulled Daniel into a tender embrace.   
  
"It's how you know those things when I think I want to be alone, or that what I've done is too dirty or sorted for you to know. That's how I know that inside you there is that little boy who should have had the family, the dog, the birthday parties, trips to the zoo, and yes, Disneyland.   
  
"He's there, and I love him, so brace yourself, Dannyboy, there are Disney's all over the world, and amusement parks in most every state; we've only just begun to play!"  
  
Daniel sighed, remembering that night, the visit to Disneyland, and all the other special things his soul mate had done to commemorate Daniel's birthday. He really shouldn't be feeling so low, but Jack had taught him the meaning of the word "happy" in "Happy Birthday", and he'd gotten used to celebrating.   
  
Somehow, when Daniel least expected it, Jack had convinced Daniel that July 8 was more than a date on the calendar, that it was a date to be cherished because Daniel Jackson was born on that day. And now, for the first time since his return from Abydos, Daniel was alone on this supposed-to-be-cherished date, and all the old feelings resurfaced as if a dam had burst, flooding his mind with insecurities and sadness.  
  
The archaeologist reached down for the wine and took another sip, relishing the smooth taste as it glided down his throat.   
  
"I wish you were here, Jack, and not ... wherever you are," Daniel spoke softly to his goblet.  
  
"Oh, for crying out loud Jackson, stop your pity party," Daniel barked to himself verbally.   
  
Daniel continued his conversation, speaking into the air, "Listen to yourself, you go years without anyone even knowing when your birthday was, let alone caring, and now you're whining because ..."  
  
Daniel took another drink and closed his eyes, and finished his thought, ... "because after years of being alone and convincing yourself you liked it, even preferred it, the truth ... the truth, Dr. Jackson, is that you're a Grade A sap ..."  
  
Again, silence. Daniel stood and went to the patio doors and looked out. It was a full moon. If Jack were home, they'd probably be on the roof deck stargazing and making out like teenagers.   
  
"I miss you, O'Neill."  
  
Daniel finished the red wine, locked the doors and turned out the lights as he headed up the stairs to the lonely bedroom. He changed into his emerald green flannel pajamas, the ones with mummies on them, that Jack had given him a couple of years before.   
  
As Daniel closed the last button, he sank to the bed, and began speaking to the floor.   
  
"You're positively pitiful for a PHD. It's the middle of summer and you're wearing flannel, and why? Because after 38 years, you're cold unless your lover is here to wrap his arms around you." Daniel snorted, "Good thing Apophis never figured this out."  
  
Daniel stood and turned up the air conditioner before climbing into bed and pulling the covers to his neck.   
  
"Pardon the excessive A/C bill, Jack, but you see, I was wearing flannel with the covers over my head because it was my birthday and I was feeling sorry for myself that you weren't here and ... oh lord, get a grip, Daniel. You're talking to a pillow now!"  
  
Daniel groaned, buried his head in Jack's pillow and held onto it for dear life. He couldn't wait for the clock to reach 12:01.   
  
"I hate birthdays," Daniel droned, silently counting mummies in his head until finally, he fell asleep.  
  
==== Eight Weeks Later  
  
It was only 6 a.m., but it was already warm in the Springs. Jack, dressed in his favorite casual attire, a gray tee-shirt and blue jeans, was finishing a conversation with a fellow Colonel, Jeff Cornell. They'd gone to the Academy together, and had renewed their friendship when Jeff was assigned to the SGC in March.  
  
"Thanks, Jeff. I really appreciate your going out of your way like this."  
  
"No problem, Jack. Always happy to do an old buddy a favor. Besides, my Mrs. will finally stop nagging me now."  
  
"Yeah, but I'll bet she finds something else to kick your butt about."  
  
"Probably. Later, Jack."   
  
Jeff turned on the ignition to his yellow mustang and pulled out of the driveway, as Jack went back to the house. Jack was smiling as he quietly walked up the stairs with his precious cargo when the package began to squirm a bit.  
  
"Shhhh. You don't want to ruin the surprise, do you?," Jack softly spoke as he continued his climb.   
  
The bedroom was still dark, courtesy of room darkening blinds, "extra-strength" Jack laughed inwardly, to prohibit light from waking up one Daniel Jackson.   
  
"My Danny is so not a morning person," Jack laughed to his cargo, "so don't take it personally if he's a bit ... grouchy. He'll love you, once I get some caffeine in him!"  
  
Daniel was asleep on his stomach, sprawled over two-thirds of their bed. He had kicked off the comforter, exposing his bare back. Jack smirked at his surprise, "If I didn't have you to worry about ...," but he stopped his train of thought, shook his head to clear his mind of what he wanted to do with Daniel at the moment, and re-focused his attention on his cargo and its delivery.   
  
The Special Ops trained Colonel knew he had to do this just right. Waking up his lover at this time of day required great care, especially when he wasn't using ... intimate body tactics.   
  
Jack removed his shoes, and tip toed to Daniel's side of the bed. He carefully placed his cargo on the floor, doing a "shushing motion" with his fingers.   
  
"Remember, he's really a nice guy once he gets his morning coffee," Jack whispered.  
  
Then Jack took his life in his hands.   
  
"Danny?", he spoke softly.   
  
Jack carefully took his left hand and carded it through Daniel's silky brown hair, and then glided his palm down to lightly caress his lover's left cheek.   
  
"Danny, Love, time to wake up."   
  
Daniel moaned, shifting his body slightly, swatting away Jack's hand as if it were an insect.  
  
Jack chuckled. "At least he hasn't tried to punch me," he said to the cargo.   
  
Jack leaned in and kissed Daniel on the back of his nape and then proceeded to spread a line of kisses up his partner's cheek. Daniel rolled over onto his back and yawned, his eyes never opening. Jack chuckled, and reconvened his efforts, gently kissing each eye, and Daniel's nose, before sliding down to brush against his lips.   
  
The young man was still half asleep, but seemed to automatically be moving to the Jack's touch, his body arching upwards in arousal.   
  
"Danny, I have a surprise for you."  
  
"Go 'way, J'ck. S'prise me later. Sleeping."  
  
"You're not sleeping any more, and this is special; won't keep."  
  
"Time?"  
  
Jack looked at the clock. 6:10 a.m. He was dead if he told Daniel that. With a gulp, Jack fibbed, "9:10 a.m., and it's time to get up."  
  
"No, day off, leave me 'lone." Daniel turned slightly to snuggle into his pillow.  
  
Smiling, Jack leaned over and picked up part of his cargo and placed the surprise on the bed, and urged, "There he is. Cute, isn't he?"  
  
"Not cute, J'ck; go 'way. Sleep".   
  
Just then Daniel felt a small tickle on his hand, and then on his neck. Then, there were lots of ... "licking? J'ck, stop it."  
  
Jack roared, trying to talk as he laughed, "I'm not doing anything, Daniel."  
  
Daniel's eyes were still closed, but his mind was beginning to wake up despite his desire to keep sleeping. Suddenly, Daniel realized that he was being licked while Jack was talking.  
  
"I swear, Danny, I'm just sitting here, minding my own business."  
  
Daniel's eyes shot open.   
  
"Wha...what?"   
  
The licks intensified, and Jack couldn't stop himself from laughing as he watched Daniel's reaction to his present.   
  
"Jack, what's going on," Daniel asked, finding himself nose to nose with a dog who was licking, no make that kissing, him silly all over his face.  
  
Daniel set up, his back leaning against the headboard, and the dog moved to sit on his lap, its tail wagging wildly. Jack beamed.   
  
"This is going to work out just right," he thought to himself.   
  
"Oh Jack, she's beautiful," Daniel laughed as he was licked as if he were a lollipop, turning his head as the kisses impacted.  
  
"I wasn't sure what breed we should get, but you can't go wrong with a beagle, so when the opportunity came up, I seized the moment!"  
  
The dog was pure-bred, her head mostly brown while black dominated her back. She had floppy brown ears and piercing black eyes. Her face was one great big smile.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Daniel."  
  
"What? Jack, it's not my birthday."  
  
"I told you I had a special surprise for you, and that you'd fall in love all over again, remember ... in my note?"  
  
"Well, yes, of course, but I assumed that was the St. Julien's; I mean, it was rare and expensive, and ... Jack?"  
  
"The wine?", Jack laughed. "I gave that to you for our anniversary, remember?"  
  
"Oh, that's right. I just ... I'm sorry, Jack. I forgot. When you were gone, I sort of ... commiserated with the ... well, I drank quite a bit of it because I ... "   
  
Daniel lowered his head. He was still petting the dog, but he had a distant look in his eyes.  
  
"Danny. I hated having to leave you. I argued until I was blue, but I couldn't get out it."  
  
"I know, Jack," Daniel smiled shyly as he talked.   
  
"I guess I got a little confused about the wine. You said I'd love it, and I did. When you came home the next day ... "   
  
Daniel became quiet, a slight blush permeating his face.  
  
"What, Danny?"  
  
"You, Jack. You were all the present I needed. You're ... you're all I ever need. I never even thought about a ..."  
  
"Present?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Jack leaned over, looming over the contented dog, and kissed the man who was his heart, "Love you, Danny, more than life itself."  
  
"Me, too. She's quite a birthday present, Jack. I have to admit I'm ... surprised."  
  
"Every kid should have a dog, Daniel."   
  
Jack's tone was quiet, his eyes reflecting the vast love in his heart for the younger man. Jack reached out and petted the dog, as Daniel was doing also. Brown eyes met blue as they silently recalled a discussion from earlier in the year, when Daniel had written in his computer diary about their experiences with the aliens who were linked to the sounds of plants.  
  
Jack had only recently discovered, when Daniel was working on the diary that Daniel had never had a dog as a child, which made sad sense to the Colonel. How could Daniel have had a dog when he was an orphan shuffled through the foster care system? He hadn't had a dog because he hadn't had a family and not having a family meant Daniel had never had a home after his parents were killed.  
  
Jack had silently vowed to correct this cruel oversight as soon as was possible. When Jeff and his wife Margaret had moved to Springs, they brought with them their two dogs. Jeff was a dog lover, but his wife merely tolerated the canines. When they discovered the youngest was pregnant, Margaret insisted the dogs, all of them, had to go.   
  
After the birth, Jeff had managed to find homes for both adult dogs and the puppies, except for one tiny one, the runt of the litter. Jack snatched up the mom as soon as Jeff had told him about Margaret's nagging to give the dogs away. Margaret wasn't an unkind person, though, and she made sure all the puppies were of age before weaning them and sending them to their new homes.  
  
A "woof" snapped Jack and Daniel out of their stare of remembrance, and Jack repeated, "Every kid should have a dog. Besides, she needed a home; someone to look after her."  
  
"A home," Daniel quietly repeated, his eyes watering.  
  
"A home, Danny, and a ... family. She needs ... us."  
  
Again, the two men made eye contact, Jack's eyes were misty now, their unspoken conversation speaking louder than any words could express.  
  
"She's precious, Jack. How old is she?"  
  
"Jeff said she's two years old. He actually has the papers on her, but forgot to bring them; he'll drop them by my office next week."  
  
"Jeff ... oh, Colonel Cornell?"  
  
"Yeah, she was his dog ..."  
  
Jack told Daniel the tale about Jeff and Margaret and the dogs, everything except the part about the one puppy no one wanted.  
  
"I'm glad you took her, Jack. She's beautiful. I ... thank you."   
  
Holding his new charge carefully, Daniel leaned forward and kissed his lover in reward. Then, he heard a whine. Looking at their new dog, Daniel realized the whine wasn't coming from her.  
  
"Jack?"  
  
Jack smiled, and reached down for the rest of his surprise. Daniel had been so wrapped up in the mom, that he never saw the small puppy still in the box beside the bed.  
  
"No one wanted the runt, Daniel. Look at her, so tiny. Jeff's wife wouldn't let him keep her, and since no one wanted her, Jeff was worried that if he took her to the pound that no one would adopt her, and then ..."  
  
"I love you, Jack O'Neill. It's the best present ever. Thank you."   
  
Daniel had a tear rolling down his cheek, but was grinning with happiness. Jack managed not to let his emotions get the best of him, but inside, he was pure mush. Both men were rubbing and petting their new pets as they fought back their emotions, trying to stay macho because hey, that's what men are supposed to be. Another smile of mutual understanding passed between the lovers.  
  
"Hey, Girl, what's your name?," Daniel looked up at Jack after asking the question.  
  
Jack laughed. "Well, they called her Bijou, but we can change that if we want. Dogs adapt easily."  
  
Jack stood, still holding the runt, and went to his side of the bed where he laid down next to Daniel, who was still sitting up holding Bijou.  
  
"We have to name this little one, too."   
  
The puppy laid down on Jack's warm stomach, curled up into a ball, and was well on her way to a morning nap as Jack gently rubbed her ears.  
  
Daniel laughed.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
"It's why I have fish, Jack. I never had to worry about naming a fish."  
  
"We could call her Runt; that's what she is."  
  
"Jack!"  
  
"Wrong sex."  
  
Daniel grumbled, and forged ahead ignoring his partner's sarcasm.   
  
"She needs a strong name."  
  
"She needs love, Daniel, that's all."  
  
Daniel looked down at his lover, and leaned over and kissed his forehead.   
  
"She has that already, Babe."  
  
"Molly?"  
  
"Jack, I know 10 people with dogs named Molly."  
  
"Precious?"  
  
"Too sappy."  
  
"Okay, you want a strong name. Who's the strongest woman you know, and don't say Carter because she'll kill us both if we name this pup Samantha?"  
  
Daniel laughed, "No, she'd kill you, but she'd forgive me."  
  
"It's your sad puppy eyes and the pouting lip; she can't resist the combination."  
  
"I do NOT pout."  
  
"Do Too."  
  
"Do Not."  
  
"Do."  
  
"Not."  
  
"Daniel, we shouldn't argue in front of the children."  
  
Daniel burst out with laughter.   
  
"You're right, Jack. We need to be more careful now. No arguing ... and no sex in front of the ... kids."  
  
"No sex? Daniel!"  
  
Daniel let loose with another big laugh.  
  
"Your butt is so mine, Jackson."  
  
"Never said it wasn't, O'Neill."  
  
Daniel left Bijou in Jack and the still unnamed puppy's care while he went to the bathroom and dressed, putting on his sky blue tee shirt and blue jeans that matched Jack's. He headed towards the bed, taking a seat at the foot of the bed, one leg under him as he signaled to Bijou to come. As she did, Daniel saw the clock for the first time.  
  
"JACK! You lied to me."  
  
Jack's eyes widened and he sat up.   
  
"Lied?"  
  
"The clock, Jack. It's only 6:45; that means you woke me up at ... JACK O'NEILL, YOU ARE SOOOO DEAD."  
  
"Danny ... the children ... remember the children."   
  
Jack's words were spoken in a panicked desperation.  
  
Again, laughter burst out from both men.   
  
"You're going to pay, Jack, and you can start with coffee ... NOW!"  
  
"But the runt ..."  
  
"You can sleep with her tonight, Jack ... on the couch, if you like."  
  
Brown eyes met smiling blue eyes, and those baby blues were way too self-assured.  
  
"Danny, would you like some coffee?"  
  
"Yes, Love, thank you."  
  
One hour later, Jack, Daniel and their "children" were seated on the grass in the back yard. They'd eaten a quick breakfast (Froot Loops for Jack, Shredded Wheat for Daniel) and Daniel had his morning caffeine fix, and now the two were back to deciding on names.  
  
"So Daniel, besides Carter, the strongest woman you know is ...?"  
  
"Catherine, but she'd kill us, too."  
  
"Kate?"  
  
"Katie," Daniel smiled.  
  
"Hey Katie, what do you think? Would you like to be called Katie?," Daniel asked the nine-week old puppy. The puppy rolled against him and wagged her tail.  
  
"That's the closest thing to a yes we're going to get, Daniel."  
  
"So Katie it is."  
  
"And Bijou, or should we change her name?"  
  
"Changing her name would be like changing who she is, Jack. I like Bijou."  
  
"Okay, that's settled."  
  
"Jack?"  
  
Jack looked up, hearing a hesitation in Daniel's voice and a tint of sadness in his eyes.  
  
"What, Love?  
  
"We're gone so much. They ... how do we make sure they have food and water? Maybe we don't ..."  
  
"Daniel, I've thought it all out and have an answer for every question you're going to ask, beginning with yes, we do have a right to have a dog. We're entitled. Part of the reason I'm glad ... Katie was left is because Bijou and Katie will be company for one another. Dogs bond easily; they'll play and keep us on our toes constantly. So, stop your worrying about that. Neither Bijou nor Katie will be lonely. Okay?"  
  
Daniel gave a small smile.   
  
"Okay, Jack. So about all those answers you have ..."  
  
The two men spent the next couple of hours discussing dog-rearing. Jack had a list of things they'd need, and he talked over everything with Daniel, from the color of their collars to the type of food to get. They needed to buy some dog toys and health items such as shampoo, and they had to decide on what kind of flea treatment to use.   
  
"Daniel, we can attach a lixit to the faucet so the dogs have a constant water supply, and we can buy a couple of those dog feeder things."  
  
"Dog feeder things?"  
  
"Yeah, they're great, almost like a computer. We can store several pounds of dog food in the feeder and set it to release the food at certain times of the day."  
  
"Katie needs to eat more, doesn't she?"  
  
"Yeah, growing pup and all of that. I checked out the feeders, Danny. They'll work just fine."  
  
For shelter, Jack decided to build Bijou and Katie a deluxe home, complete with doggie door, so they could go in and out at their leisure. This would be especially important if Jack and Daniel were off world and the weather was bad. It would take a while to work out the floor plan, but there would be nothing but the best for the Jackson-O'Neill "children"!   
  
"You could make it a log cabin, Jack, like your cabin."  
  
"Our cabin, Daniel."   
  
"Sorry, I forgot." Daniel blushed.  
  
"Community property, Love. What's mine is yours ... and the kids," Jack said with a scoff.  
  
"I like the log idea, though. We can use a water sealant to keep it dryer, too," Jack continued to think about what else they needed to do.  
  
"What about the cold, Jack?"  
  
"We'll insulate it, build it off the ground a little, too."  
  
"You've really been thinking about this, haven't you?"  
  
"I told ya, Daniel. I'm a dog lover from way back, and I wouldn't have brought Bijou and Katie here and let you fall in love with them, only to have to let them go because we couldn't take care of them. I ... researched. You'd be proud of me. You know how I feel about research," Jack said with a groan.  
  
"You did this all for me. I'm not sure what to say."  
  
"You don't have to say anything. All you have to do is do what you're doing right now."  
  
"... And what's that?"  
  
"Being Alive and beautiful ... and here, with me."  
  
Daniel blushed again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately around Jack.  
  
"I wonder if we could convince Hammond the SGC needs a vet?"  
  
"I think that might be a bit of a stretch, Jack."  
  
"We'll need to find a vet, though. We should have Bijou examined just as a precaution, and Katie needs all the puppy stuff."  
  
"... And speaking of puppy stuff," Daniel tilted his head toward's Bijou indoctrinating the lawn of her new home.  
  
"Oh, yeah, we'll need some ... pooper scooter equipment."  
  
"I think that should be your department, Jack."  
  
"Sure, I'll buy it, you scoop it."  
  
Daniel laughed, "Oh no, Love. This is an equal partnership. You do half the scooping or else."  
  
"Oh threats now, Dannyboy. Or else what?"  
  
"Or else," Daniel laughed wickedly, "or else the kids and I are going home to Mom."  
  
Jack reached across and ruffled Danny's hair, "Couldn't live without you ... not anymore."  
  
"Then you do half the scooping."  
  
"Deal."  
  
Daniel leaned over and kissed Jack tenderly. "Just sealing the deal."  
  
"I like the way you think, Jackson.   
  
"I talked to Cassie about dog-sitting for us sometimes."  
  
"Us? Dog sitting? You ... Cassie knows about our ... Bijou and Katie?"  
  
"She knows I was seriously thinking about getting a dog. Janet knows about us now, so I asked her how she'd feel if Cassie stayed over sometimes and dog-sat. After all, she's a senior in high school now; hardly a little girl anymore. Janet was fine with it, so I broached the subject with Cass at Hammond's Fourth of July barbecue."  
  
"She never said anything to me."  
  
"I told her it was going to be a surprise."  
  
"Oh. Jack? Surprise? Jack, does Cassie know about us now too?"  
  
"No, or I don't think so. I told her I wanted to give you a dog, and why," Jack turned and looked away for a second before looking back at his lover, "you know, Danny, about never having a dog and how a dog means family and home. She understood that. I told her your apartment wouldn't allow pets, which they don't, so that's not a lie, and told her I would keep them here, but they'd be yours."  
  
"Are you sure they'll be okay when we're off ... gone?"  
  
"They have each other, and Cassie will be here a lot when we're not. We don't stay away as much as we used to. Besides, retirement time isn't that far off."  
  
Daniel glared at Jack.  
  
"Don't give me that look. We've talked about this. I don't want to hide forever, Danny. Every day, it gets harder to pretend."  
  
Daniel wasn't looking at Jack; he was watching Bijou and Katie explore their new home, sniffing by the fence, staking their claim on the trees, and rolling around in the freshly mowed grass.   
  
Jack turned around so that he was sitting next to his lover, wrapping his left arm around the younger man, pulling him against him. Jack kissed Daniel's forehead gently, and then leaned his head against his soul mate's.  
  
"I love you, Danny, and I know we agreed to keep on doing this for a while longer, at least until we find that lost city, but I'm tired of excuses, of having to explain to Cass that these are your dogs that I'm letting stay here, tired of still having to play that stupid game with Carter sometimes when those NID guys are looming or that presidential wannabe Kinsey snoops around. I'm tired for all those reasons we've talked about before, so someday soon, Babe, we're cutting the ties and living for us ... unless you've got an objection to that?"  
  
"No, no objection. It seems so far away though. Sometimes I wonder if it's just a dream."  
  
Jack raised his right hand to Daniel's face, turning his lover to face him. "No dream, Danny. This is all real. You, me, Bijou and Katie ... one big crazy family."  
  
Jack caressed his lover's cheek. Danny closed his eyes and sighed contently.   
  
"Forever, Jack. We're ..."  
  
"... A family, Daniel. Maybe we're not conventional, but I dare you to show me any two people who love each other more than we do."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Me either. So, Dr. Jackson, you, me ...," Jack paused, nodding out towards the two dogs, adding with a chuckle, "and the kids."  
  
"Home," Daniel said softly, as he placed his hands atop Jack's.   
  
"Thank you, Jack."  
  
"For what Danny?"  
  
"For all of this ... a place that is more than four walls, where I belong; a house with a backyard. For ... Bijou and Katie ... for loving me, for making this home be like us, together always. You've been my home for years, but now it's ... even more ... it's ... home."   
  
Daniel's emotions were jumbled. He wasn't sure what he was trying to say; he only knew that he was happier than he'd ever been in his life, and the reason for that was holding him in his arms. Daniel took a deep breath.   
  
"You were right, Jack, with what you said in the note on my birthday. I have fallen in love all over again."  
  
"I knew you'd love them, Danny."  
  
"I do, but that's not what I meant, Jack."  
  
Jack turned to look at Daniel, who returned the look. Blue misty eyes gazed lovingly into welcoming brown eyes.  
  
"I have fallen in love in again, Jack, head over heels in love, more than I ever thought was possible ... with you."   
  
"I love you, too, Danny." Jack's voiced cracked, and his brown eyes turned as misty as Daniel's.  
  
Jack held on tightly to his lover. He kissed his nape, and reveled in his scent. Life couldn't get much better than this! ... And for the first time since Charlie was born, Jack felt like he had done something important. He'd given Daniel love, a family, and a home, at last.  
  
~~Finis - Finished - Done - The End - But is it ever Really?~~ 


End file.
